Red Sea Diving and Snorkeling - Explore the Red Sea

Red Sea Diving and Snorkeling

If you spend any time in Egypt
at all and have a love of the ocean, you owe it to yourself to try the
snorkeling and diving that is found at the Red Sea.

There are many reasons to head to the
Red Sea Riviera,
but the pristine, shining waters provide ideal conditions for past
times that require visibility. Don't miss out on this chance to explore
the Red Sea and find out why it has its reputation for gorgeous views and unforgettable snorkeling and diving experiences.

In terms of life under the ocean, this is one of the most wildly diverse areas in the world.
Out of the more than 1100 species of fish cataloged, around ten percent
are unique to the location. This rich diversity is due to the fringing
reefs that extend along the coastline and are around 5000 to 7000 years
old. These reefs shelter not only the 1100 or so species of fish, but
also around 44 species of shark. If you go Red Sea Diving, you should
be prepared to see beautiful specimens of sea life and to see them with
exquisite clarity as well.

Plenty of Snorkeling and Diving Service

There
are plenty of snorkeling and diving services that are eager to help you
get on your way on the Egyptian coasts of the Red Sea. Some services
offer you full instruction on what to do with your snorkeling or scuba
equipment, while others presume more experience and will simply show
you to the best locations.

If you don't have your own equipment, it can certainly be rented and diving centers are plentyful.

While you might not think of it right away, snorkeling is an ideal sport for children
and you can introduce your children to some of the most beautiful sites
on the planet. As long as your child is comfortable in the water, you
can get them some experience with the snorkel and away you go!

One of the best things about snorkeling in the Red Sea is the chance to see a living ecosystem in action.
Right in front of your eyes, you'll see schools of fish interact,
identify solitary fish and watch them dart around each other in the
coral reefs. Keep an eye out for the symbiotic relationship of the
clown fish and the sea anemone. As the clown fish glide easily between
the poisonous tentacles of the sea anemones, watch as the colorful
stingers float in the water.

Blue Hole - Dahab

When
looking for specific sites to dive, consider Dahab, a small town on the
southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula. This former Bedouin town boasts
internationally renowned scuba diving and snorkeling, and there are
many reefs that are adjacent to the shore.

When looking for places
to set in, head for the Blue Hole just a few miles to the north. The
Blue Hole is essentially a cave that is around 100 meters deep and 50
meters wide, and the variety of marine life inside the cave there is
awe-inspiring. One thing to keep in mind, however is that this idyllic
spot has a reputation for danger and is therefore only recommended for
skilled divers.

Ras Mohammad National Park

Another place to consider diving is at Ras Muhammad National Park,
one of Egypt's favorite attractions. In 1983, this park was established
by the government as a marine reserve. With more than 200 species of
corals, 40 species of starfish and more than 150 species of
crustaceans, there is plenty to see; Ras Mohammed National Park
definitely earns its international reputation as one of the world's
best diving spots.

With a little bit of luck, you'll catch a glimpse of the rare green sea turtle and the hawksbill sea turtle.

Diving Tips and Advice

Snorkeling
and diving in the Red Sea are wonderful past times and you and your
family should try it at least once, though when you get a taste of the
wonders below the surface, the problem will be getting you to come back
up!

Scroll down the article archive "Diving - Tips and Advice"
to learn more about the basics of diving, snorkeling, safety, equipment
and much more; start your diving and snorkeling off right!

Diving Basics

Introduction to Scuba Diving - Red Sea Egypt
Introduction
to scuba diving - Red Sea Egypt: Think of scuba diving and images of
James Bond wearing fins and sneaking up on the villain come to mind.
Or, maybe your first thought is of Jacques...

Scuba Diving Basics – Buoyancy and Pressure
Red
Sea Diving Basics - Buoyancy and Pressure: Before entering the water
it's a good idea to learn a little very elementary physics. Divers
don't have to be scientists - though many are. But if you..

Diving Equipment

Breathing
Red
Sea Scuba Diving - Breathing: You would think breathing is the most
natural thing in the world. You've been doing it all your life without
much thought. Inhale, exhale. What could be simpler? ...

Breathing Equipment
Red
Sea Scuba Diving - Breathing Equipment: Divers today are fortunate to
have the latest technology available in breathing equipment. It wasn't
always so...

The Face Mask
Red
Sea Diving - The Face Mask: Regulators and tanks are critical to scuba
diving, that's obvious. But if you want to get any enjoyment out of the
adventure, a good face mask is essential. What...

How To Clear Your Face Mask
Egypt
Diving - How To Clear Your Mask: There are several essential factors in
a successful dive. Breathing, of course, is paramount. Keeping warm is
another but, depending on where you dive, that...

Choosing Fins
Egypt
Diving - How to Choose Fins: Choosing a fin is a surprisingly
complicated business for such an apparently simple device. But the
seeming simplicity of fins is deceptive. There's a lot that...

Choosing Wetsuits
Diving
in Egypt - Picking a Perfect Wetsuit: Ok, so the title is a little
misleading. There really is no such thing as the perfect wetsuit. But
many manufacturers have come surprisingly close...

Buoyancy Compensators
Red
Sea Scuba Diving - Buoyancy Compensators: A buoyancy compensator (BC)
or buoyancy compensating device (BCD) is a jacket that helps divers
maintain neutral buoyancy during a dive...

Choosing a Buoyancy Compensator - Part 1
Red
Sea Diving - How To Choose a Buoyancy Compensator 1: Buoyancy
compensator devices are used to aid the scuba diver to maintain neutral
buoyancy. 'Positive buoyancy' causes the diver to rise...

Choosing a Buoyancy Compensator - Part 2
Red
Sea Diving - How to Choose a Buoyancy Compensator 2: Contemporary
buoyancy compensator designs have an array of special features that can
turn an ordinary buoyancy compensator into an extremely...

Choosing a Tank - Part 1
Red
Sea Diving - The Tank 1: It's well known that scuba diving tanks are
the canisters that supply air to the diver underwater. But beyond
performing that seemingly simple, singular function there...

Choosing a Tank - Part 2
Red Sea Diving - The Tank 2: Scuba diving tanks come in a variety of capacities, styles and contents...

The Dive Computer
Red
Sea Scuba Diving - The Dive Computer: The computer revolution of the
1980s that led to ever smaller PCs wasn't a boon only to business.
Scuba divers, too, have benefited enormously from the...

Diving Safety

Nitrogen Narcosis
Diving
in Egypt - Nitrogen Narcosis: Scuba diving is a wonderful sport.
Underwater you experience an amazing variety of plant and animal life,
physical and sensory effects, an overall environment ...

Dehydration
Red
Sea Scuba Diving - The Dangers of Dehydration: It's ironic in the
extreme that even though a diver may be surrounded by millions of
gallons of water, dehydration can be a serious problem...

Decompression Sickness
Red
Sea Scuba Diving - Decompression Sickness: One of the earliest and most
well-reported cases of DCS, or Decompression Sickness, was encountered
during the building of the Brooklyn Bridge...

Equalizing Pressure
Red
Sea Diving - Equalizing Pressure: How to keep your scuba diving
experience safe and comfortable is among the first lessons taught in
any good dive school. Early in those lessons is one which...

Diving Instruction and Certification
Red
Sea Scuba Diving - Diving Instruction and Certification: Early in your
exploration of scuba diving you'll run across the term 'certification'.
What is that, and do you need it?...

Safety Tips for Safe Dives
Red
Sea Diving - Safety Tips for Safe Dives: Scuba diving is a great
adventure. But it is also inherently risky. Novice divers learn early
on during a certification class how to dive safely. That's...

Planning Your Dive
Diving
in the Red Sea - Planning Your Dive: There's plenty of room for
spontaneous exploring when you're under the surface. You'll find new,
colorful species of fish, coral and dozens other...

Hand Signals for Divers
Red
Sea Diving - Hand Signals for Divers: Sometimes a diver will be in such
trouble that he or she can't signal. It's for that reason that all
participants should keep one eye on a partner at all...

Communication Gear for Divers
Diving
in Egypt - Communication Gear for Divers: Thanks to advances in
electronics and military applications there are now several devices
available for divers to communicate under the surface...

Snorkeling

Snorkeling 101
Red
Sea Snorkeling 101: Snorkeling can be a great alternative to scuba
diving. Sometimes you don't yet have the training or equipment to scuba
dive. Sometimes you'd like to ease into the sport...

How to Judge A Snorkel
Egypt
Diving - How to Judge A Snorkel: norkeling can be a great addition to
scuba diving. Or, it can be a fun sport all by itself. You can see an
enormous variety of colorful fish and plant species...

Staying Focused on Your Diet While on Holiday

How to travel and still lose weight
Being on a diet while you are travelling seems to be a difficult task for many people. In fact, some people use holiday time as an excuse to forget the diet and just eat what they want. The problem is they usually return home to find they have not only not lost weight but have gained some of what they already lost. There are ways you can have fun on your holiday trips and still lose weight.

Make Sensible Food Choices
When you are travelling you do not have to use that as an excuse to throw your diet into the waste bin. Even when you eat three meals out every day, you can stay on your weight loss program by making sensible choices. That doesn’t mean you can’t occasionally have something special as long as you plan for it. Some of the things you may want to consider include the following:
• Do not have a big breakfast every day. Being on holiday doesn’t mean your daily breakfast should consist of pastries, donuts, and three course meals. Even if you attend a buffet, you can choose fruits, whole grain cereals with skim milk, or yoghurt.
• Even if you are not a breakfast eater, make it a point to have something even if it’s whole wheat toast with a little butter or jam. You will snack less during your time out if you eat three meals a day.

• Don’t feel you have to eat everything on your plate simply because you “paid for it.” Some restaurants provide portions that are too large—consume only enough so that you feel full and not overstuffed.

• Choose healthy items from the menu. Every restaurant has some selections that are healthier than others. Lunch may be a salad with a little dressing while dinner may consist of grilled chicken or fish. Avoid making a routine out of greasy and high-calorie foods.
Get Plenty of Exercise
Depending where you go for your holiday, you may have to plan for your activities. It’s easy enough to exercise while on holiday even if you don’t do anything but walk. Many people travel and have a tendency to jump in the car or taxi for short trips that can be accomplished on foot. Even if you can’t travel on foot, if you are using public transportation, you will likely get the exercise you need by walking provided you don’t ride to every single stop.
If the weather is nice, spend time in the park and other places where you can walk rather than ride to your destination. Whenever possible exit your car or the train or bus farther away from your destination and walk the rest of the way. When you are shopping, make it a point to walk between the stores rather than getting into the car or on a bus. Finally, make sure your trip includes plenty of activities that will allow you to burn off the calories from the meals you consume.
Limit Your Alcohol Intake
Alcoholic beverages are very high in calories, yet many people who don’t drink any other time do so when they are on holiday. Whether it’s because they are not driving or are more relaxed is of little difference. You can enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or a drink later, but you need to limit how much you drink. Do not get into the habit or drinking two or three drinks every night while you are enjoying your holiday or you will put on extra pounds by the time you return home.

Chamber Recompression Therapy

"No-one who has seen the victim of compressed air illness, gravely ill or unconscious, put back into a chamber and brought back to life by the application of air pressure, will forget the extraordinary efficiency of recompression, or will be backward in applying it to a subsequent case of illness."
(Robert Davis, 1935)

Diving accidents requiring recompression in a Recompression Chamber, namely Decompression Sickness (DCS) and Gas Embolism (GE) are put together under the term Decompression Illness (DCI).

The goal of recompression therapy is to prevent both further and permanent injuries caused by DCI.
Fundamentals of therapy for a DCI case are:
1- Raised atmospheric pressure to shrink the gas-phase (bubble) volume.
2- Raised inspired PO2 to washout the inert gas, promote tissue oxygenation and reduce oedema.
3- Adequate treatment time.
4- Adequate fluid management.
5- Appropriate drug therapy.

Proper application of recompression therapy can abort the mechanisms by which this illness can cause permanent tissue deformation and in many cases complete resolution of symptoms can be achieved.

It is often very difficult to diagnose accurately the exact nature or seriousness of a diving accident; so if any manifestations of DCS or GE are observed, it is of much greater importance to evacuate the victim to initiate treatment immediately than to delay treatment for a more accurate diagnosis. When differentiation between a serious case of DCS and GE cannot be made, the treatment for AGE should be conducted.

An initial evaluation, which helps to identify the urgency of a DCI case, is determined by the following:
1- Onset of symptoms. The longer the surface interval prior to symptoms appearing, the less likely they are to worsen.
2- Severity of symptoms. Describing the extent and intensity of DCI symptoms as: degree and type of pain, inability to move or coordinate, walking difficulty, balance or urination problems, and dyspnoea (level of consciousness deterioration). Grade the symptoms with the following terms; mild, moderate, massive and severe.
3- The organ systems affected. (Musculoskeletal - CNS - inner ear - circulatory - respiratory systems).
4- The change of symptoms with time. (Evolution).

There are three degrees (catagories) of urgency based on onset and severity of symptoms, organ systems involved and time course. They are defined as:
-Category A (Emergent) in which all available resources should be mobilized to ensure that recompression treatment will be obtained as fast as possible (do not waste time for examination or proper diagnosis).
-Category B (Urgent) in which the patient will need treatment (recompression) as soon as it can be arranged, (not an extreme emergency).
-Category C (Timely) in which symptoms are not obvious without detailed examination and the hyperbaric physician can make the decision to delay or abort the treatment of a patient in this category.

In water recompression should never be attempted (even if the victim is fully conscious and equipped with an oxygen rebreather having a full face mask) because of the following reasons:
1. The signs and symptoms of DCI are unpredictable as usually bubbles take time to develop and other serious manifestations can happen under water that can lead to serious complications.
2. Lack of proper medical attendance under water.
3. Recompression tables require a huge stock of different breathing gases and take long periods of time which can never be satisfactorily and safely achieved under water.

The approach to a diving casualty that needs chamber recompression has 3 views:
1. Recompress to a pressure (depth) similar to the depth of the original dive and decompress according to the time of exposure of that dive (old French technique).
2. Recompress to a depth that produces a clinically acceptable improvement (Australian technique), or recompress to the depth of relief +1 atmosphere and then decompress according to special tables.
The above 2 methods are not satisfactory because the choice of treatment tables will depend upon a lot of variables, which makes it confusing even for a skilful supervisor since a different table for each individual case should be worked out.
3. Recompress to a predetermined fixed depth, i.e. according to standard recompression treatment tables.

These tables are scientifically developed taking in consideration bubble physics as well as the effect of gases under pressure, and are now most accepted by different organizations worldwide.

A lot of gases were utilized in the development of such tables including Air, Oxygen, Heliox (Helium + Oxygen), Nitrox (Air + Oxygen) and Trimix (Helium + Nitrogen + Oxygen) or (Helium + Hydrogen + Oxygen). The advantages of using these tables are:
1. They have a relatively high cure rate (up to 90% when the elapsed time before recompression is relatively short).
2. They enable the average operator to easily decide which tables to use according to the severity of symptoms, prognosis and recurrence during the different stages of treatment, (by following given Flow Charts).
3. They require a chamber of a maximum working pressure of 6 ATA, which is relatively low, compared to other tables needed to carry out other higher pressure treatment.

Which tables to choose?
This will depend entirely on:
*The diagnosis. (Is it Type I DCS, Type II DCS, Type III DCS or AGE?)
*The initial evaluation. (Severity and Urgency)
*How much time has already elapsed before getting into the chamber?
*Any change of clinical picture on normobaric oxygen breathing.
*Response of the patient to chamber treatment stages, (Recompression, Oxygen breathing and Decompression). Symptoms can improve, remain stable, progress or even deteriorate during the course of the treatment.
Once the treatment table has been chosen, treatment is conducted by carrying out recompression and decompression procedures specified in this chosen table including times and rates of ascent and descent.

A flow chart is given to provide a systematic method for selection, activation and extension of each individual table, and procedures to take in case of complications or relapses during or after the treatment.

The inside tender(s) who wish to leave the chamber whilst carrying out the treatment for the victim should be decompressed on air or oxygen in the outer (transfer) lock of the chamber all the way back to the surface using Standard Air Decompression tables or Surface Decompression tables using oxygen, (bear in mind their residual nitrogen from previous in-water or in-chamber exposures).

Followup HBO treatment
Some cases of serious DCI will require further treatment in the chamber in the form of Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) sessions until full recovery, or reaching a plateau in their response to HBO treatment.
CNS O2 toxicity in HBO treatment is rare because all treatments are carried out at pressures below 2.8 ATA and the duration of a single treatment seldom exceeds 3 hours. Factors that increase the incidence of CNS O2 toxicity and CO2 retention are normally not encountered inside the chamber.

Pulmonary O2 toxicity, (more often seen as a result of prolonged normobaric O2 exposure) should also be considered, despite most clinical findings reporting no remarkable impairment of lung functions after prolonged HBO treatment.

Diving fitness after a decompression accident:
Following DCS, unless conservative changes are made to your exposure profiles, the past is likely to be repeated - but with greater severity.

It has been shown by researchers that changes in blood composition following a decompression incident take at least 10 days to return to normal, even when the patient shows full recovery after treatment, so it seems wise to stop diving during this period.

In cases of severer DCS, the victim is asked to refrain from diving for at least 6 weeks.
If any neurological residue persists after 3 months, some authors will permit diving for short periods to a maximum of 9 meters provided that the diver's psychological and physical fitness are not impaired.
I personally think that divers should be advised to stop diving altogether because of increased susceptibility to future damage to the already damaged nervous system.

Finally, I would like to say that diving is still one of the safest sports provided that divers receive proper training, stick to good planning, maintain fitness and take all possible health precautions. You do this and I promise you that you will never have to visit a chamber.

Wishing you all safe and enjoyable diving.

By: Dr. Hossam Nasef

"Best Method" to cope with out-of-air emergencie

Dive instructors are taught to stress the importance of constantly monitoring the submersible pressure gauge and returning to the boat or the dive exit point with at least 50 bars remaining in the tank. In all beginners' training programs, divers learn the best way to avoid an out-of-air emergency is to never run out of air. While this technique is absolutely correct, divers should be trained and prepared to cope with an out of air situation since Prevention is only half the answer.

Out-of-air emergencies may well be one of the most common emergency events in sport diving. Do not underestimate it - divers do run out of air.

Why do divers run out of air? There are several causes but it comes down to this: Divers are not perfect.

Diver fault is responsible for an estimated 99% of all out of air events. Distraction, overloading and miscalculation are the main three causes of out-of-air incidents.

Distraction is perhaps the major cause of out-of-air events. In fact, it is considered as a deadly killer because it catches the diver by surprise and increases the risk of panic. Divers often become fascinated by the beautiful undersea world, lose track of time and simply forget to look at their tank pressure.

Overloading is a less frequent cause of out-of-air incidents. Excess equipment, accessories or a bulky underwater camera housing can be a start. In addition, divers can encounter heavy objects they try to drag to the dive boat or the beach. These collectibles include such items as: lost weight belt(s), or a lost anchor! Additional weight and excess drag can burn up air/gas supply in half the normal time.

Miscalculation in my personal opinion is the greatest cause of out-of-air events. It is virtually impossible for a diver to precisely plan a dive he/she has never made before. He/she may encounter strong currents, go deeper than intended, have an over-weighted belt, or fail to take the shortest way back. Any combination of these factors can contribute to a miscalculation of air consumption and therefore result in the sudden termination of the dive plan.

When a diver runs out of air, he/she has a margin of approximately 15-20 seconds to check equipment, (in case of a false alarm), make an accurate evaluation of the situation, and finally make the appropriate decision.

Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent. This will not allow the luxury of a safety stop or a required decompression stop. So if you are not thrilled by the idea of a solo ascent from deeper depths, you should take all necessary measures to prevent running out-of-air.

Most experts agree that the chances of screw-ups are dramatically reduced if you can solve a problem yourself. However, CESA is one of the most controversial self rescue methods used today. The inherent risk of air embolism puts the method in hot debate. Therefore, many modifications have been introduced to the method over the years.

Today divers are taught to retain the regulator in the mouth while swimming slowly upwards towards the surface. It is my personal opinion that it is desirable to make a direct ascent to the surface under your own power, keeping the regulator in your mouth and continuously exhaling slowly. Students are always astonished how long they can slowly exhale even when saying a continuous ‘Aaaaah’, sound all the way up to the surface.

I often tell my students during the exercise briefing that each one of them would feel he/she is one of the greatest opera sopranos of the world! In addition, you will probably get a couple of breaths on the way up as the ambient pressure on the hoses is reduced during the ascent.

Although most training agencies today agree that the advantages of CESA far outweigh the risks, most divers are so well conditioned to seek help from their buddy underwater even if they run out of air even and are only a few meters deep! The obvious solution never occurs to them.

Independent Backup Reserves. The use of pony bottles or a ‘Spare Air’ are perhaps a safer, more dependable alternative since they allow you to make an entirely independent self rescue. The disadvantages can be summarized in three main points:

They are expensive, bulky and add extra weight to your scuba gear. In addition, out-of-air situations will happen only when you do not carry them along in your dives, Murphy's Law!

Octopus Ascent is today considered the most desirable option for air sharing in any out-of-air situation. It is a quick, simple and easy method of sharing air with your dive buddy while making a normal ascent to the surface. However, octopus ascents require the help of a dive buddy who not only has to be within reach in the proper time, but also has sufficient air supply to support the two divers.

Buddy Breathing is so far down in the list of preferences that it has been relegated to a vanishing art. However, given no other alternatives, it can get you back to the surface if both divers are skilled in its practice. Unfortunately, the record of double fatalities for divers engaged in buddy breathing is relatively high. The reality is that the skill is difficult to master for most student divers and then quickly lost unless practiced often in the field.

Buoyant Ascent is probably the most uncommon and most forgotten way of self rescue, often ignored when should be done and unfortunately practiced when it should not! Although it is not intended here to go into the details of the technique, it is clear that alot of training and practice are the only way to master such a skill. One can summarize the technique as follows:
Taking off the weight belt at depth allows a quick start of the ascent, letting the expanding air out from your BCD and flaring your body to a horizontal position are two ways to slow done the ascent rate as needed. Looking up to see the water surface (if you are in the clear Red Sea), and exhaling all the way up are ways to prevent lung overexpansion.

Which method is best to cope with an out-of-air situation? Honestly, there is no such thing as the "best method" for self rescue. Each has been time tested and proven to save lives. Each offer advantages under certain circumstances.

The important issue is that every diver should be responsible, and take all measures to prevent an out-of-air incident. Nevertheless, every diver should be fully trained and proficient in all self rescue methods available.

We should not argue about the theoretical advantages of one method over another, this would not help solving the problem when it comes. I believe that the more you know the better chances you have.

If you did not obtain training (during your basic class) in all available methods of self rescue, you better learn about them now. This is especially true if you are not aware of the latest techniques of my personal favourite one: Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA). Remember that you can achieve safety through education. So when you are down there facing a situation, take a second to work out the "best method".
Safe diving.

By: Zeyad M. El Bassel
NAUI Course Director

Decompression Sickness

ecompression sickness (DCS) is a syndrome that follows the reduction in environmental pressure massively or rapidly enough to cause the formation of bubbles from gases already dissolved within body tissues.
It represents one of the many man made illnesses, though its exact nature is still not fully understood.

In compressed gas diving, DCS happens if:

1-The elimination of the inert gas cannot adequately parallel the rate of reduction of external pressure (as in the case of fast ascents).
2-The amount of residual inert gas at the end of a particular dive (or dives) is high enough to create bubbles - supersaturation. (as in the case of missing a decompression stop).
3-Accumulation of the inert gas in the body due to repeated diving for a few days (inert gas load)

DCS is differentiated into 2 types:

Type I DCS can be presented in one of these forms:

1- Extreme fatigue.
2- Skin rash
3-Joint pain (limb bend or musculoskeletal pain-only symptoms)
4- Lymphatic Symptoms (where localized swelling and pain occurs in the area drained by involved lymph glands).

Type II DCS

Where the nervous system, the inner ear or cardio-pulmonary systems are involved producing serious signs and symptoms.
DCS can present itself in a variety of symptoms and signs, which pose diagnostic problems for the non-experienced officer. Amongst these symptoms:

Skin rash - Joint pain - Back pain - Itching - Dizziness - Chest pain - Girdle pain - Paralysis - Hearing problems like ringing in the ears - Tingling - Urination difficulty - Memory changes - Nausea, vomiting - Extreme fatigue - Visual disturbances - Balance problems - Speech problems - Shortness of breath - Cognitive deterioration.

It is important to establish whether symptoms are diving related, and a good procedure is to:
1. Refer back to the dive profiles of the last few dives (depth and exposure times), and consider any unusual events happening during these dives like: emergency or fast ascents, omitted stops, YO -YO like profiles, reversed profile(s), multiple ascents, cold temperatures or strenuous exposure etc.
2. Pay attention to Inert Gas Load (in case of repeated diving days).
3. Overview the individual factors involved such as:

sometimes misdiagnosed as DCS.
So encourage your divers to drink rehydration salts together with water.
II. Age: altered blood flow due to atherosclerosis associated with age increases the risk of DCS.
III. Sex: some literature suggests an increased incidence in females due to the redistribution of the body fluids due to hormonal changes during different stages of menstruation, but it is still under study.
IV. Obesity: is a point of controversy:
Some authors accuse fat tissue of being a contributing factor (having a great affinity to nitrogen thus increasing
the nitrogen load in case of repeat diving days), whilst others believe in its action as a good reservoir for nitrogen in cases of short, deep single exposures.
V. High Serum Cholesterol levels can enhance bubble formation by rendering the blood more viscous.
VI. Improper training of equipment usage (mainly the BCD).
VII. Overconfident attitude in a poorly educated or a well trained diver.
VIII. Any underlying condition that hampers the anatomy of the body (like scarring), can form a bubble trap due to the alteration in local tissue perfusion and gas elimination.
E.g. a previous joint, spine or brain injury or affection, also any previous episode of DCI.
IX. Increased carbon dioxide tension due to exertion or increased breathing resistance because of faulty equipment, which increase nitrogen loading.

*Dive computers:
They do allow divers to spend more time under water than conventional tables as they compute time and depth input minute by minute against the tables and calculate inert gas absorption and elimination in a number of theoretical body tissues continuously to credit the diver for multi-level dives.

But amongst disadvantages of dive computers are:
-They do not take all factors into consideration like: water temperature, age, body figure, dehydration or exertion.
-They have a high incidence of faults in computing inert gas load in successive diving days and failure during underwater exposure.
-It is practically impossible to override them without being aware of it due to divers' unfamiliarity or lack of warning features of some computers.
In fact diving computers are responsible for a good number of DCS cases in sport diving.
Any symptoms or signs which cannot be explained and develop after a dive should be regarded as Decompression Sickness until proved otherwise.
The first and most significant aid is to plan for safe dives including accident management and plans for evacuation to the nearest recompression facility.
Dive leaders should stick to safety rules and regulations regarding depths, dive tables, repetitive dives, medical statements and checks for divers, individual and age consideration of the guests and fulfillment of the Instructor/Student - Guide /Diver ratio as stated by different organizations.
Dive leaders should co-operate with chamber personnel by doing what is asked of them, being honest in all of their answers to questions and having understanding and appreciation for chamber personnel and consultants. These people are trying to be helpful and they also have stress due to the tasks associated with their function during the course of treatment itself.
I. Dehydration: is one of the major predisposing factors in the occurrence of DCS as dehydration renders the blood more viscous than normal, which reduces perfusion of tissues and thus the elimination of inert gas.
Dehydration can happen as a result of :
1. Inadequate fluid intake.
2. Drinking dehydrating agents like alcohol and coffee.
3. Dehydrating conditions as diarrhea and vomiting.
Note that:
1. During diving there is a continuous fluid loss due to perspiration, dry gas breathing and immersion that increases urine formation.
2. Advising divers to drink a lot of water in tropical areas or in the summer without adequate salt intake leads to dilution of body electrolytes with the consequent symptoms of dizziness, weakness, nausea and vomiting that is sometimes misdiagnosed as DCS.,...etc.

By: Dr. Hossam Nasef

Red Sea Healing Sands

Researchers have discovered that the health benefits of a Red Sea holiday can go beyond rest, relaxation and recreation.
While the typical tourist chooses to come to the Red Sea based on its triple "s" combo of sun, sea, and sand, an increasing number of both Egyptian and foreign holiday makers are coming in search of better health.

Several forward thinking doctors have been researching the specific health effects of the natural resources of certain areas of Egypt for close to a decade, and their results have put specific locations of Egypt on the map of the burgeoning climactic therapy map. It seems that the small town of Safaga, for one, on Egypt's Red Sea coast, is in the healing zone.
What is climatic therapy? It is officially defined as a treatment combining the natural elements of a specific geographic location. Researchers have looked into the specific effects of factors like altitude, atmospheric pressure, humidity, percentages of airborne particulate matter, ionic ratios, soil composition, temperature, and strength of ultraviolet rays on various health conditions from respiration difficulties to rheumatism. And they've found that climate, and geography, make a difference that can be measured. Climatic therapy is particularly popular in Germany, with a website devoted to German resorts offering climatic therapy boasting close to 100 listings.

Sun, Sea, Sand…and Spas
The term climatic therapy may be relatively new, but the idea of pilgrims searching for healing rays or waters certainly is not. For at least a millennium, people from all corners of the earth have been "taking the waters" at various ancient spas with their natural springs and mineral pools and mud baths.

Medical tourism or travel medicine is an established industry, and in fact, climatic therapy falls under this category. The black mud of the Dead Sea is currently enjoying a revival of its reputation for alleviating the pain of arthritis. Specially rigged cruise ships and resorts providing top notch kidney dialysis and professional medical services to kidney-impaired tourists are proving popular; and the first of this kind of center in Egypt recently opened in Sharm el Sheikh, operated by the Egyptian Medical Services company.
Similarly, the spa industry in general is gaining momentum, and every resort is anxious to offer unique spa packages complete with "alternative" approaches ranging from aromatherapy to Ayruveda. At the Steinenberger Golf Resort in the Red Sea town of El Gouna, there is talk of expanding their already deluxe spa facilities to offer a complete week long package for the tag-along spouses of golf fanatics, including day trips to a deserted island for hot sand treatments. Down the path, the Three Corners Rihana Resort in El Gouna offers colour and light therapy, painting healing colours or beaming finely-tuned coloured laser lights on a patient's trouble spots. At the Menaville Resort in the climatically blessed town of Safaga itself, clients of the Czech Republic based Karlovy Vary spa can shape their muscles via an electric myostimulator, neutralize their pain with ultrasound, and stimulate their circulation via an underwater jet massage.

But because of Menaville's location, the management is able to offer their guests something even more enticing, something that can make even the most reluctant traveler rethink their vacation plans: a cure for psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The Menaville Story A bold claim? Perhaps.

Legend has it that the Pharoaonic ruler Queen Hatshepsut herself suffered from psoriasis, and that she used to travel from Luxor to Safaga for treatment. But more important are the studies that back it up. Menaville was the first major resort to open in Safaga, and as a result has a prime location with a large sandy beach along Safaga's sheltered bay. As the guests began to flow in, many of them noticed an appreciable improvement in their rheumatoid arthritis, a condition causing painful inflammation of the joints, or psoriasis, a skin affliction characterized by irritating patches of inflamed and flaking skin. Management took an interest, and alerted the Ministry of Scientific Research, who delegated the National Research Center to research the phenomenon. In 1993, two separate but simultaneous studies were conducted on the climatic effects of Safaga on both psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
The initial field survey revealed that the incidence of both conditions in the Safaga area were well below international averages. For psoriasis, it was .014% compared to an international average of 1%, and for Psoriasis, it was .008% compared to an international average of 1-3%. Over a hundred rheumatoid arthritis patients were selected to participate in that study, and the psoriasis study included 80 cases.
In both studies, after an evaluation to determine baseline disease conditions, patients spent four weeks in Safaga under medical supervision undergoing climatic therapy. For cases of rheumatism, treatment consists of being covered by local grey sand warmed by the sun twice daily, followed by gentle walking. For psoriasis, the therapy involves exposure to sun and immersion in seawater twice daily.
The results, announced to an international audience in 1994, were dramatic. Of the rheumatism cases, 14% showed complete remission by the end of the 4 weeks, while close to 60% showed dramatic improvement. The rest showed moderate to marked improvement, with only 6% showing slight or no improvement. Of the control group who were placed in an area in Egypt with similar weather, but who did not undergo sand sessions or have the benefit of other possible contributing factors present in Safaga, there were no cases of total remission, and only 5% showed dramatic improvement. After six months, follow-up studies with the patients confirmed the positive results, with improvement persisting in 45% percent of the patients, as opposed to just 25% in the control group.
For the psoriasis study, the positive results were even greater, with more than 50% of the patients undergoing treatment experiencing a total clearing up of their condition that was sustained in the 3 month followup. A full 27% showed sustained excellent improvement with very little deterioration observed at follow up.

Skeptics may point to the obvious: modern medicine already recognizes the age old folk wisdom that encourages arthritis sufferers to seek dry heat and avoid cold and damp; and it doesn't get much drier or hotter than the sands of Egypt. It is also known that ultraviolet light and mineral salts added to water both alleviate psoriasis, so it is no surprise that a controlled regime of sunlight cured. But there are contributing factors in the environment of Safaga that magnify the results.

The secret of Safaga
For one thing, there's something in those grey sands. Analysis shows that the sand collected from the tidal areas contains three radioactive elements in trace amounts: uranium, thorium, and potassium 40. Ancient volcanic craters at the bottom of the Red Sea point at the source of these elements. High salt and mineral concentrations found in the sand have also been found to play a role in its therapeutic qualities. But anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that the sand only works in Safaga. According to Dr. Medhat Abdel Hakim, director of the climatic therapy clinic at Menaville, a center in Aswan once collected some of the special Safaga sands to use it to treat patients there, but the results didn't measure up.

Similarly, the Red Sea, already characterized by a high salt content, is up to 35% more saline than the global average in the gulf of Safaga, which affects the equilibrium of the skin via the altered flow of ions. This may in turn allow certain gasses or other chemical components to penetrate into the body that may contribute to a healing effect.

Other factors present in Safaga that are thought to contribute to the healing climate effects include the nearby mountains that act as a natural barrier to harsh winds, cutting down on dust levels, which means that more

ultraviolet light penetrates through the atmosphere. In addition, the level of ultraviolet light is intensified by the calm, clear waters found in the bays of Safaga and also by the wide expanses of reflective sand on the beaches.
But, as Menaville General Manager Faisal Negm was quick to point out, the psychological factor of creating the right social atmosphere for relaxation and healing cannot be discounted. For the psoriasis patient in particular, psychological status is known to be an influencing condition. "We have clients that have been horribly limited socially because of their illness. When they come here, they find a welcoming community with people who understand their condition. As they get better, more of their personality comes out, and they feel a happiness here that keeps them coming back," he explained.

Where the environment takes care of business
Repeat business is always a bonus in the competitive travel industry. Offering the tourist a good time on the shores of the Red Sea and cultural excursions to local historical monuments is usually only good for a one time sale. But offering long term relief for a painful condition that affects the quality of their lives on a daily basis is a pretty good incentive for a return visit, and it's one that climatotherapy clinics like the one at Menaville are banking on.

Dr. Medhat reports that his clinic has upwards of a thousand patients a year. Of those, many are Egyptians who may or may not choose to stay at the resort as well as visit the clinic for treatment, but international patients, in particular from Germany, are on the rise, particularly second or third time patients. According to Tarek Adhan, Managing Director Mena for Resorts and Hotels, the Kuwaiti ministry of health regularly sends Kuwaiti citizens to Safaga for treatment.

The Dead Sea is Safaga's closest competitor, but it has a drawback of being the lowest point on earth, and people with certain physical conditions such as arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, tuberculosis, kidney or liver disease, hemorrhea, or nerve diseases may suffer negative effects at 400 meters below sea level.

The water of the Dead Sea also contains higher levels of Bromine, a substance that causes skin sensitivity and allergic outbreaks in some people. With proper marketing and worldwide recognition, the Red Sea may be able to cash in on the already popular Dead Sea medical tourism market because of these differences.
Tarek Adham has a different approach, "I'd like to see the tourism industry in this area start thinking about the environment as an ally, something that can contribute to your profits," he said. "Most people in the industry seem to think that the environment is something you have to be careful not to hurt because of laws and regulations, a burden to take care of and protect. But there are direct benefits from working in harmony with the natural elements of an area, it is not just a responsibility to endure, the environment will also take care of you."

By: Diana Boeke